Fender Hot Rod Deville distorting

[goldtop5]

I have a Fender Rod Deville 212 that's distorting on the clean channel. Before, it was distorted and weak, now it's loud but still distorted. I've swapped all the tubes. Swapped resistors R61, R62, R64, R65, and R57. C35 looked like it was leaking and I swapped that out as well. Still distorted. The speakers also tested good. The only thing I haven't looked into were the other high voltage filter capacitors. I've heard that the stock IC brand capacitors were unreliable. Any suggestions?

[52 Bill]

I will assume that you have checked all of the tube socket pc connections and none are broken.

Read the voltage on the plates of the driver tube, pins 1 and 6.

[Jazz P Bass]

Not sure where you have the Clean Volume control set at but these amps typically are 'dimed out' (clean wise) with the guitar full up & the amp volume at 3/4.

[Enzo]

Distortion you can easily hear on clean may well be there on the distortion channel as well, you just can't hear it through the other distortions.

Agree with Bill, check the plate voltage on pins 1 and 6 of the phase splitter tube.

Also, just as a matter of course, when i am in one of these I always resolder all teh pins on the power tube sockets. A broken screen connection for example would leave the amp sounding ratty at highre levels.

[goldtop5]

Problem solved! There was an open 100k, 1/2w resistor at the phase inverter (pin6). I replaced it and the amp went back to full volume with no distortion on the clean channel. Thanks Guys! I think from now on, I'll have to start clipping leads to replace components on these amps. I had to repair quite a few traces and solder pads!

[Jazz P Bass]

I have seen that more than once (an open PI plate resistor).

Not too sure if it's called for but i usually change out the PI tube.

I also always suspect the output tubes.

[52 Bill]

I have seen that more than once (an open PI plate resistor)

I've seen it a lot on these amps, but it is usually the 82K side.

It has made me wonder, I may have seen maybe one or two of these resistors fail in vintage Fender amps, and that's in a whole lot of years.

In the Deluxe and Devilles, I've seen it more than a few dozen times since they have been out. What are they doing differently in the circuit to cause this, or is it the quality of the new resistors.